The Bible is God's
Word to all men. Though written by human authors, it was 100%
inspired by the supernatural guidance of the Holy Ghost. It is the
ONLY and SUPREME source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.
Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of
error.
God is the Creator and Ruler and the
Universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities; the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. These three are co-equal and
are one with God.
<Gen. 1:1, Gen. 1:26-27, Genesis 3:22,
Psalms 90:2, Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Corinthians 13:14>
About Jesus
Christ
Jesus Christ IS
the Son of God! He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a
sinless, human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for
the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead
after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He
ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign
as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. He is the ONLY Salvation and
Hope fallen humanity has to reach God through His precious shed
blood. He IS the way, the truth and the life.
<Matthew 1:22-23,
Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, John 14:10-30, Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Cor.
15:3-4, Romans 1:3-4, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Tim. 6:14-15, Titus 2:13>
About The
Baptism In The Holy Ghost
The Holy Spirit is equal with the
Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men
aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every
Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian
with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and
guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under
His control daily.
We also believe in a second work of the
Lord Jesus in our lives known as the Baptism in the Holy Ghost,
subsequent and after salvation, with the INITIAL physical evidence
of speaking with tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance
(Acts 2:1-4).
We believe the initial physical evidence
of speaking with other tongues will accompany all those who receive
the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This glorious experience has nothing
to do with the believer's salvation whatsoever other than the fact
salvation and faith are the only two requisites for receiving
this glorious experience.
We want to make it clear
that we do NOT believe one has to speak in tongues to be saved.
We do NOT believe that if a person speaks in an unknown tongue that
automatically means they are going to be a better Christian. There
are NO EXPERIENCES out there that can zap us into Christian
perfection. If there were, there are not any of us who would not be
lined up for that by the MILLIONS to receive it, believe me!
No, receiving the baptism in the
Holy Spirit will not relinquish you of your responsibility in a
daily intimate walk with the Lord and obedience to His will and
Word. What this experience WILL do, is open the door for a great
number of operations and abilities the Holy Spirit wants to put
inside of you in your Christian walk as it relates to POWER and
MINISTRY. That doesn’t mean He cannot do these same things if you
are just saved and not filled with the Holy Spirit. God is God and
God can do whatever He wants to. But it’s been my experience over
the years that people who are used in the gifts and ministries of
the Holy Spirit have been people who have been gloriously baptized
in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues.
ALL OF THIS WAS AND IS MADE POSSIBLE
BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST. Whatever the Holy Spirit does, the CROSS is
the central reason why. His work is to make what Jesus did REAL to
us so we can be conformed into His image. This is not some
"mystical" experience given to man for fleshly demonstrations and
carnal divisions. It's what the early church sought after
conversion. We encourage you to see our online study on the
Baptism in the Holy Spirit for more information.
About Man
Man is made in the
image of God, to be like Him (JESUS CHRIST) in character. He is the
supreme object of God's creation, made a little lower than the
angels. Although man has tremendous potential for good, he is marred
by SIN and an attitude of disobedience to God. This attitude
separates man from God. The Bible teaches that man is a SINNER by
both birth and nature and that Man cannot save himself through his
"goodness." There are none good but God! Any doctrine that sets man
above God is false and should be shunned as error in the grossest
form. Man at his best is vanity in the sight of God. We must submit
our hearts and wills to HIM and fall under subjection to God's WILL,
not ours!
Salvation is a
gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by
self-improvement or good works. Only by placing his faith in the
finished work of Christ on the Cross as God's offer for forgiveness
can man be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment
one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
<Romans 6:23, Eph.
2:8-9, John 14:6, John 1:12, Titus 3:5, Gal. 3:26, Romans 5:1>
About
Eternity
Man was created to
exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by
sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be
eternally separated from God is
HELL.
Hell is a real place of torment and is the abode of the lost and
wicked until the Great White Throne Judgment when its inhabitants
will be cast into the lake of fire. This is what is known in
scripture as the Second Death. Eternal life begins at the moment one
receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
<John 3:16, 1 John
2:25, 1 John 5:11-13, Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:15>
About
Eternal Security
Because God gives
man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in
that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace
and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the
grace and keeping power of God that gives this security. We do not
believe in "unconditional" eternal security and believe that should
one WILLFULLY chose to stop placing their faith in Christ, that
person shall be eternally lost. It's not that one "loses" their
salvation, but they do stand in eternal jeopardy should they cease
to believe.
We do firmly
adhere to
eternal
security IN CHRIST for all those who keep their faith anchored
in the Lord's finished work on the Cross!
Baptism is an
outward sign of an inward change. Biblical baptism takes place after
conversion and in the mode of immersion. Baptism is a mere act of
obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ and is the witness of
salvation, not a part of salvation!
<Matthew 3:13-17,
Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 16:16-34, Acts 2:38-41>
About The
Christian Faith
The Christian life
should be a life of sanctification and holiness. Such a life cannot
be lived out through a person's own efforts but is a gift of God,
and is totally produced by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does
this in the Christian's life when the Christian places His faith AND
KEEPS IT in the finished work of the Cross of Christ! If a Christian
reverts to law, which can be defined as "commandments," or any type
of "self-effort," the Holy Spirit will cease His work in our lives
and we will ultimately end up in the flesh and fail miserably. The
Holy Spirit's graces and FRUIT are vital to our becoming more like
Christ. The Fruit of the Spirit in our lives is what He wants to
develop eternally. The Gifts of the Spirit are given more for
immediate needs and issues
<1 Thessalonians
4:3-7, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Gal. 3:3, Romans 6:23>
About Israel
Christians have good biblical reasons, past present and future, for
supporting modern Israel. Christianity was birthed by biblical
Judaism. Moses prophesied of the disobedience, dispersion, return
and ultimate restoration of Israel, due to the faithfulness of
Jehovah.
Some eighty percent of our Bible (what we call the "Old Testament")
was written in Hebrew, by Hebrews, for Hebrews; and although
Gentiles could come to God, they had to come through Israel's
God-given religion. Jesus himself instructed the disciples to go
only "unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel", and reminded the
Samaritan woman, and us, that "salvation is of the Jews". (John 4:
22)
Hellenized Christianity has purposely distanced itself from the
Jewishness of our faith, yet paradoxically still strives to attain
to the witness of the Jewish church of the Book of Acts.
Paul instructs us as to the immense debt we Gentiles owe Israel for
our spiritual inheritance, and reminds us of our duty to help Israel
in earthly matters. (Romans 15: 27)
Since the call of Abram, every covenant that God has made for the
benefit of mankind was made with an Israelite. The New Testament
would be incomprehensible without the prior testimony of the Hebrew
Scriptures.
Paul reminds us Gentiles that we were totally alienated from God,
outside Israel's covenants, without hope and without access to God;
until brought in by the blood sacrifice of our Jewish Messiah.
Nor did God accomplish this invisibly in heaven, but right here on
earth with, and amongst, flesh and blood; in the midst of sin, war,
death, depravity, human treachery and injustice.
For those who expect perfection from Israel we are well reminded
that all God has done in the salvation of a remnant of mankind has
been done against the total opposition thereto of the world, the
flesh and the devil.
Because of false teaching, and erroneous replacement theology, many
Christians do not realize that certain "Old testament" covenants
still remain in effect for Israel, namely: the Abrahamic land
covenant (Genesis 12: 1-3), the Davidic throne covenant for Messiah
(2 Samuel 7: 11-16), and the New Covenant for the House of Israel
(Jeremiah 31: 31-36), into which the majority have not yet entered.
The new covenant in the blood of Jesus fully atoned for all sins
under the Old Testament (Hebrews 9: 15), transforming the role of
the Law of Moses; but contrary to belated Christian replacement
theology did not end God's dealing with Israel.
Much of Christendom has been in chaos since abandoning literal
interpretation, and losing the distinction in Scripture between
"Israel" and "Church". In fact, most replacement theology leaves
Israel only curses.
If God were done with Israel because the majority rejected Jesus as
Messiah, as prophesied, why did Jesus pray, "Father forgive them for
they "know not what they do", and why does Paul remind us Gentiles
that, "they are beloved for the fathers sakes"? (Romans 11: 28)
Because God does not break covenant! (Psalm 89: 30-37)
Paul warns us Gentiles, "not to be ignorant of this mystery
(Israel), lest we become wise in our own conceit", because Israel's
blindness to the gospel will only continue "until the fullness" of
the Gentiles come in". (Romans 11: 25)
In our generation Israel is back in the land, against all human
odds. But their first entrance as slaves from Egypt, and their
second entrance from Babylon were not popular either: "The God of
this people Israel. . . . . when he had destroyed seven nations in
the land of Canaan, he divided their land to Israel". (Acts l3:
l7-19)
The problem today is that our thinking is so humanistic and
"democratic" that we in effect deny God his duty to fulfill his
word. Many believers are more influenced by the media and the world
than by the word of God.
Isaiah foretold that in the last days, "the Lord shall set his hand
again the second time. . . . . and shall assemble the outcasts of
Israel. . . . . from the four corners of the earth. . . . . . and
the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. " (Isaiah 11: 11-13)
Amos adds significantly, "and they shall no more be pulled up out of
their land which I have given them, says the Lord your God". (Amos
9: 15)
The Gentile age, revealed to Daniel, is ending; and with it the
Church age at the "catching away" of Christ's bride; then the
Kingdom shall come to earth. (Daniel 2: 34, 35) ·
Sometime during this transition physical Israel, regathered in the
land, will be brought to life spiritually: "And I will make them one
nation in the land of Israel. . . . and they all shall have one
shepherd. . . . . I will be their God and they shall be my people. .
. and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify. Israel"
(Ezekiel 37: 22)
God is not playing favorites, but Israel collectively is a major
player in the plan for redeeming humanity: "and through you shall
all the families of the earth be blessed". (Genesis 12: 3) That
blessing will not be completed until Jesus returns in his glory.
"When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. .
. To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in
Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms,
to serve the Lord. " (Psalm 102: 16-22)
Israel is being regathered in the land, to meet the One they earlier
rejected: "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of
Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east. . . . . and the Lord
my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. " (Zechariah 14: 4,
5)
Micah speaks today: "Now also many nations are gathered against
thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.
But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they
his counsel: for he shall gather them (nations) as the sheaves of
the floor. Arise and thresh, 0 daughter of Zion. " (Micah 4: 11-13)
The nations are on a collision course with God. Joel tells us
the outcome: "For behold, in those days and in that time, when I
shall bring again (return) the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I
will also gather all nations and bring them down into the valley of
Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my
heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and
parted my land. " (Joel 3: 1, 2) The United Nations in 1947
authorized Israel's return; yet entitled the very resolution, "The
Resolution For The Partition of Palestine"; and excluded Jerusalem
from the Jewish homeland.
But Daniel reveals that Jerusalem is reserved by a higher authority,
for higher purposes: "for thy city and thy people are called by thy
name". (Daniel 9: 19) Israel stumbled over Jesus, as
prophesied. The nations are stumbling over Jerusalem, also as
prophesied. (Zechariah 12: 3)
Ultimately, Israel as a nation will accept Messiah following the
Great Tribulation period and be reconciled to Him. All Christian
believers should be praying for this event NOW and for the salvation
for the Jewish people.
About
Evangelism
We believe in the
spreading of the gospel to the entire world. One of this ministry's
greatest outreaches via the internet is the preaching of online
messages we know have the potential to reach every part of the world
now because of the internet. We are praying for open doors to preach
overseas once again. The Lord has told us to "go ye into ALL the
world and preach the gospel to every creature." That should be the
NUMBER ONE priority of ALL New Testament Churches, not building
buildings or parking lots. Funds received from tithes and giving
should be used first for missions, then for the needs of the church.
About The
Atonement/Cross of Christ
We believe in the
atoning, precarious sacrifice of Christ as the answer to ALL of
mankind's ills. We believe Christ went to the Cross, suffered, died
and was resurrected on the Third Day as recorded in the Word of God.
In
the atonement He bore our sins and our sicknesses and all those who
come to Him in Faith will find forgiveness and healing as a result
of the shed blood of Christ! We preach Christ Crucified!
We do NOT adhere to
the word of faith view Jesus died spiritually. Jesus was a
sin-OFFERING on the Cross for man's sin which brought on sickness
and eternal death. We believe there is healing in the atonement of
Christ for those willing to believe. Divine healing is not
some slot machine we put a quarter in and demand a result. Believing
Jesus heals through His blood does not relinquish our faith and rest
in His sovereign grace which is what brings the healing. We believe
in laying on of hands for those who are sick according to James 5.
Laying on of hands must be done with the realization that our faith
does not rest in the person laying on of hands, but in the finished
work of Christ on the cross and the blood of His stripes, "by which
ye were healed," according to Isaiah 53 and 2 Peter 2.
About
The Second Coming
We
believe in the rapture of the church prior to the Great Tribulation
period, which we believe will last seven years. At the end of this
seven year period we believe in the literal, physical return to
earth by the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the church is not
appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ. The Lord said in Luke that we are to pray that we be found
"worthy to escape all these things" which are coming to pass on
Planet Earth.
About The
Bible, The Inspired Word of God
